Apparatus for making beads



' 'May 2, 1944. PQ sYNEK (Y 2,348,035I

APPARATUS FOR MAKIN BEADS Filed Sept. l2. 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ,Dime 5mi/r BY ATTORNEY P. sYN'EK 2,348,035

APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEADS Filed Sept. l2, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR l P575@ SVA/Vf /17 BY ATTORMEYl May v2, 1944. SYNEK 2,348,035

APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEADS Filed Sept. l2, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mi A INVENTOR ATTORNEY PnrizlaTy OFFICE ArrAnArUsronaMAxmGEAns Peter'Synek; Jackson Heights, N. Y. Application'september-12, 1940, serial No 356,478

7 Claimsa. (Cl.'497) invention-relates;generallyv to'y the making ofy .beadsg More particularly; myv invention is direc-ted tozianiimproved;apparatuafor makingglass` l beadsgcl oivfbeads o'tfother similar Vplastic `mate,-y rials;A I v Onetoi'fthe,vobjectfotfmyrfinvention is topro-`l videA :ahighly.':improvedizapparatus;. for --making gla'ssgor similar. beadSWhiChfshall `becha'raeter- A ized; -by,certain.:novel-fgconstructional -jfeatures, whereby-tirafbeadsff-maybe:relativelyinexpen- 1o sivelymanufacturedfandtina continuousprocjess.

Sti-liliancther,objectof myf invention is :to pro-A Y vide'improvedriand--inovel y:apparatus z' for f making 1; beadsrof;fthefcharacter"described,whichfishall 4be y soaconstmctedfandarrangedfas to =be automatic 1 .l5 in operatioin:Y

Other-1;: objects; o! f 'my-ffinvention lwill fbecomex apparentxirr thel :following detailed-y description? thereofrl In the accompany-ing; drawings, -in which is l20 shown voneg-ofk -the;,varioua :possible embodiments n oimyiin/entlangf 1 gis; a `frontfelevational;View of an apparatuspformaking,lglassbeadsorbeads of. similar..-

material'ggconstructedsinaccordance with my in 25.Y`v

,ends ot the wire.

' insection and other;4 'Y

Fig.y5 isvanrenlarged -partsectional view taken 35.. substantiaily-onthe'lineoifFig; l :f f

Fig. -6-is; anfenlar'gedelevationalview, partly sectional, o1f -a.portion -:of.n the apparatus shown in Fist-.1i

Fig-:.7 'isA an ,elevationakviewrof-L apluralitypf 40` tent;,predeterminedaintervals is --moved .in an axial f direction; Between thestimesethat the said wire: is; axiallymovedandwh-ilef-itf is; rotating, a por#A i tion of` a iglassrodlmember, ora mem-bero; -simiv lar :material 1whichfhas, been'heated to vay Vs'emi'4 -55 facture of beads from glass or other suitablel sim- `molten or plastic state, is brought into intimate.

contact with the rotating. wire. This causes'the plastic glass material to adhere to the wire to be drawn oil the rod and vconvoluted vinto avbead.

When a sufflcient amount of such plastic material has been thus drawn from the rod, the said rod is moved away from the wire to break the connection therebetween and a bead is thus formed on the wire. The wire is then moved axially so as to be in position for the making of another bead. Spaced from the first bead any desired distance theplastic portion of the glass rod is again brought. into contact with the wire at the newly selected position to form a second bead and so on untilany desired number of beads v are formed. The wire with the beads thereon formed as above. described, will then appear as in Fig. 7 ofthe drawings. After the beads have cooled they may be removed from the wire in any suitable manner. One method which I have found satisfactory is to stretch the wire longitudinaliy. This reduces the diameter of the wire, thus breakingits hold on the glass bead and permitssliding movement of the beads on the wire to remove the same therefrom from the Referring now in detail to the drawings I have therein illustrated a novel bead making apparatusconstructed and arranged in accordance with myv invention and adapted' for use in the manuilarmaterial, and which may also be operated as to provide a continuous and automatic process. A

My improved bead making apparatus comprises a rhollow shaft I0, horizontally disposed and Journaled for rotation in a pair of bearing members II and I2, the said bearing members Iiand I2 being in turn mounted on an upright wall I3 of a supporting frame F, The supporting f Yframe F comprises the wall portions I4 and I! which are adapted torest upon amain support comprising the table member I6 and the leg portions II. In accordance with'my invention 1 provide a second hollow shaft I8 spaced from and'in axial alignment with the hollow. shaft I0 and mounted for rotational as weil as axial movement in the following manner.

' A suitable bearing member I9 is mounted on theirame wall I3, in which there is Journaled iorrotation, a hollow sleeve member 20. The

lsaid sleeve member 20 is provided with a pair of outwardly extending flanges 20a and 20h at opposite Vends thereof which prevent axial movement thereof in the bearing I9, while permitting "rotational movement. By means of a pair or y'I'he hollow shafts I8 and I 8 are adapted to have slidably received in the openings Illa and lla thereof respectively a wire W. The wire .WY is preferablyof suitable thickness in accordance with the desired size of the opening in the bead l ultimately to be made and of a material capable of withstanding a predetermined degree of heat. A supply of the wire W is contained on a spool 23 rotatably mounted on a forked bracket 24. the said bracket 24 being in turn fixed to a multiple pulley member 25 for rotation therewith, the pulley 25 being in turn fixed to the hollow shaft I8 for rotation therewith.

l It is thus seen from the above described construction that when the shaft I is rotated, the spool 23 will rotate therewith to cause axial rotation of the wire W within the openings Illa and I8a of thev hollow shafts I0 and i8 respectively.

The following means are employed for causing rotational movement of the hollow shaft I0.

Journaled in suitable bearings 26 attached to the legs I1 is a horizontally disposed main driving shaft 30 on which there is mounted for rotation therewith a multiple pulley 21 in alignment with the pulley 25 and interconnected therewith by a belt 28. VThe main driving shaft 30 may be driven`from any suitablesource of power, such as a motor `(not shown), through a pulley 38 xed to the said shaft 30 and a belt 39. To facilitate the axial rotational movement of the wire W there is provided a cone shaped chuck member 3| mounted at one end of the hollowshaft I8 for movement therewith and designed to frictionally grip the wire W when the shaft I8 is axially moved in the direction of the arrow 32 to cause the tapered surface of the chuck to contactively engage the sleeve`20 as clearly shown in Fig, 6 of. the drawings. The following means are provided for causing the hollow shaft I8 to rotate simultaneously with the hollow shaft I0.

A clutch member 33 is flxedly attached to the hollow shaft I0 for rotation therewith by any suitable means, such as, for example, the set screw 34. The said clutch member 33 is provided with a pair of grooves 35 extending inwardly from the periphery thereof and adapted to slidably receive therein a pair of correspondingly positioned pins 36, the said pins 36 being in turn fixedly attached to a cooperating clutch member 31 rigidly attached to the hollow shaft I8 for rotation therewith.

The wire W projects beyond the chuck 3| and is passed through a wire supporting member 48 attached to the frame F from whence it projects a predetermined distance with respect to the position of the material from which the bead is to be made. Such material is shown in the draw- The said rod 4I may be held in position by a b rake device 43 having an adjusting set screw A4 to regulate the amount of force necessary to axially move the rod against the frictional force of the brake 43. Av gas burner 45 of any suitable designl is supported on a bracket 46 in such position as to throw a flame directly at the tip 4Ia of the rod 4| when the said rod tip 4Ia is in its dottedline lowered position as shown'ln Fig. 4 of the l0 drawings. The heat ofthellame; will 'plasticize the said tip 4 Ia to 'cause the same to flow toward the wire W to contactively engage the same and form a bead as hereinbefore described. When suiilcient material has been drawn off the rod to v form a bead, the rod4I is then moved to its fullline position as shown in Fig. 4. The gas burner 45 may be supplied with gas from any suitable source of supply through a supply pipe 41 and may be controlled by a valve 48. It is noted that 2o the above described flame is so directed as. not to affect 'the wire W, thuspreventing sagging or breaking of the wire, Ihe .aber/@described manner of feeding the glass rod maybedone by hand, if desired or it may be accomplished automatically in accordance with my invention, To this end I provide a cam roller 5U, rotatably mounted on the arm 42L and designed to ride upon the rim of a suitably designed cam 5I. The cam 5| is mounted on a cam shaft 52 for rotation thereof, the said shaft 52 being in turn journaled in the bearings 53 and 54 mounted on the frame F. To retain the arm 42 in upright position and at the same time to guide the same in its movement. there is provided a slotted aperture 55 in the lower end of the arm 42, in which the shaft 52 is received, to permit vertical reciprocal movement of the said arm 42. The said arm 42 also slidably passes through an opening 56 in the bracket 46.. .I i As hereinbefore described, after a bead has been made, the wire is automatically moved axially for a predetermined Ydistance so that it will be in proper position for the-making of a secondbead, after which it is againvaxially moved to be in position for a third bead and so on until any desired number of beads are manufactured. I have provided the following mechanism for effecting such intermittent axial movement of the wire which is so synchronized with respect to the movement of the arm 42,.caused by the cam 5I and roller 50, that the wire W will be axially advanced while the glass rod 4I is in its upper or full-line position (see Figs. 4 and 7) after which the rod tip 4I a will then be automatically iowlgas burner 45 and after being heated thereby to plastic state, brought into contactwith the rotating wire W.

Mounted on the cam shaft 52 for rotation therewith are the cams 58 and 59, A pair of levers 60 and 6I are rotatably mounted on the pivots 62 and 63 respectively supported by the wall I3 of the frame F.

Mounted at one end of the lever 60 for movement therewith is a bracket 64 in which there is .rotatably mounted a cam roller 65 adapted to cooperate with the cam 58. Rotatably mounted at one end of the lever 6I is a cam roller 66 designed to cooperate with the cam 59. The opposite end of the lever 60 from that of the roller 65 is provided with a forked portion 60a, the prongs of which straddle the shafti. Theforked portion 60a' is provided with a pair of abutment members 61 which are designed to be adjacent to 75 and abut the member 31. as shown in Figs. 2 and ered into the path of the fiame issuing from the 6 of the drawings. Similarly the lever 6I is provided with a forked portion 6|a the prongs of which straddle the shaft I8. -Thc forked portion 6Ia. is provided with a. pair of abutment members 68 which are designed to lie adjacent to and abut a collar member 69 mounted on the shaft I8.

In accordance with my invention the cams 58 and 59 are so synchronized with respect tothe levers 68 and v6| that when the glassrod 4| is away from and out of contact with the wire W, the said wire will be axially moved into a position for the making of another bead in the following manner.

When the shaft 52 is rotated, the roller 66 in siding from the low to the high point of the cam 59, will cause the forked portion 6|a of the lever 6I to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 6) to slidably move the collar 469 on the shaft I8. Slidably mounted in the collar 69 is a plunger pin 18 resiliently held in frictional engagement with the wire W by a spring 1|. A set screw 12 is provided to adjust the tension or pressure of the plunger 18 on the wire W, such tension being sufficient to friotionally grip the same so as to move lthe wire axially and to cause it to unroll from the spool gear 98 is a second worm gear 92 in mesh with a corresponding worm gear 93 mounted on the 23, upon the above described movement of theA collar 69, actuated by the cam 59. A slot 13 is provided in the shaft I8 to permit free movement of the pin 18. If desired the bottom end of the plunger pin 18 may be slightly cammed as shown to facilitate the gripping action in one direction.

My apparatus is so designed that at the same time that the lever 6| is about to start to advance the wire W, as just described, the forked portion 68a, of the lever 68 is also caused to be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction by means of the cam 58 and roller 65, to permit the springs 15, surrounding the pins 36 to urge the shaft I8 to slidably move in an axial direction opposite to that shown by the arrow 32. This will cause the chuck 3| to be relieved of its compression force to thereby permit free sliding movement of the wire W therethrough. Upon continued rotation of the shaft 52 the roller 66 again will reach the low area on the cam 59 and the collar 69 will be restored to its original position shown in Fig. '6, by means of a spring 11 surrounding the shaft I8 and interposed between the bearing |2 and thesliding collar 69.

At the same time the roller 65 will have reached the high point on the cam 58 to cause the clutch member 31 and shaft I8 to move in'the direction of the arrow 32 and against the action of the springs 15, and the chuck 3| will again have gripped the wire 3| for rotation therewith.

The following means are provided for causing the synchronous rotational movement of the cam shaft 52 from the main driving shaft 38.

Journaled in the supports I4 and |5 is an auxiliary shaft 88 which is driven from the main driving shaft 38 by means of a pulley 8| mounted on the shaft 88, and a pulley 82 on the shaft 38,

the said pulleys being interconnected by a belt 83. Mounted on the shaft 88 for rotation there,-

with is a worm gear 84 in mesh with va similar gear 85 mounted on a shaft 86.

Mounted on the shaft 86 for simultaneous rotation with the gear 85 isa second gear 81 in mesh with a gear 88 mounted on the shaft 89. The gear 88 is also in mesh with a gear 98 mounted on the shaft 9|. The shafts 86, 89 and 9| are supported by the frame F. Fixed to the said shaft 9| for simultaneous rotation with the 75 cam shaft 52 for rotation therewith.

It is thus seen from the above described construction that when the main driving shaft 38 is rotated, the auxiliary shaft 88 will be rotated through the pulleys 8| and 82 and the belt 83, the cam shaft l52 will be rotated through the chain of gearing 84, 85, 81, 88, 98, 92 and 93. At the same time the shaft I8 will be rotated through the pulleys 25 and `2`| and the belt 28, while the shaft I8 may be simultaneously rotated with the shaft I8 by means'of the cooperating clutch members 33 and 31 as hereinbefore described.

It is thus seen from the above described conin connection with the drawings, that the amount of advance movement of the wire W, or in other words, the spacing between the beads B on the wire W is governed by the amount of oscillation of the fork portion 6Ia of the lever 6|. Instead of mounting the pivot shaft 63 directly on the frame F,'I mount the same for lateral sliding movement in a bracket 95, said bracket 95 being slidably mounted in the opening 98 in the frame F: adjustment of the bracket being effected by screw member 96 passing through an opening 91 in the frame F. The member 96 is provided with.an enlarged knurled head 99 and abuts the wall of the opening 98 at the free end of threaded shank 36a. It is thus seen that when the head 99 is turned the pivot 63 will be moved laterally by means of the threaded shank 96a.

In accordance with my invention I also provide means whereby the glass rod 4| may be automatically fed a predetermined distance in a direction toward the wire W each time the said rod reciprocates to compensate for the amount that the rod has been shortened due to drawing off of the glass material from the rod 4| to make a bead.

As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, I provide a rigid arm member |88 having a suitable frictional clutch member |8| engaging the rod 4|. The arm |88 is provided with an angularly bent portion slidably passing through an opening |82 in the support 46 and provided with a collar |83 at the lower end thereof. A spring |84 surrounding the arm |88 is interposed between the support 46 and a collar |85 fixed to the arm |08 for movement therewith.

As shown in Fig. 4a the clutch member I8I comprises a forked portion comprising the prongs |8|a and |8|b which are carried by the arm |88 and straddling the rod 4| and a frame |86 having openings |86a and |88a f through which the rod 4| is adapted to slidably pass. The frame |86 is supported on the prongs |8|a and |8|b by a pair of link members |81 and |81'. 'I'he said link members are rotatably mounted on the pivots |88 and |88' fixed to the frame |86. 'I'he outer ends of the links |01, |81 freely pass through openings |89 and |89a in the prongs |8|a and |8|b respectively. Surrounding the glass rod 4| and carried by the links |81, |81' is a brake member ||2 of suitable braking material for frictionally holding the glass rod 4| when pressure is applied thereon by the links |81, |81. The openings |89 and |89a are so designed'with respect to the said links |81, |81 that the brake member |I2 may slip slightly only in an upward direction and when the said brake member ||2 is moved in a downward direction, the rod 4| will move with it.

It is thus seen that each time the rod 4| is moved downwardly from its full-line position to its dotted-line position in Fig. 4 an abutment ||4 on the arm 4| is so positioned that it' will strike the collar |03 to 'causethe arm |00 to move downwardly with it to cause the clutch to slip and permit the rod ll to move downwardly for a predetermined slight distance, so that when the rod'll is in its lowered position, it will be sufficiently near to the flameY and'wire W to become plasticized to form` a bead.

Upon upward movement of thel arm 42` to restore the rod 4| to its uppermost, or full-line position the abutment nember Ill will move away from the collar |03 and the arm |00 will .be restored to its original position by the action of the spring |04, the brake member H2 permitting the upward movement of the `arm with respect tothe glass rod 4| forreasons above described. Y` Y A A collar -||5 fixed to arm |00 and normally abutting theY lower surface of the bracket `46 limits the upward restoring-movement ofthe arm |00. y n

A set screw I I0 may be employed for attaching the collar |03 to the arml|00 so thatr the said collar |03 may be adiustably positioned with respect to the abutment member IH.

The beads B, after being formed as above de-V scribed. may be passed through a cooling cylinder H0 suitably slidably supported on aerod I|| Yfixed to the frame F, and after emerging there- Ymade of the above invention, and as various.

changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted asv illustrative and notV in a limiting sense.

being rendered effective and ineffective by the said relative movement between said rst and second shafts, and in which means are employed forintermittently advancing said length of wir, in an axial direction. said last named means comprising a collar slidably mounted on said first wshaft, a plunger pinA carriedY by saidl collar and resiliently heldin frictional engagement with said wire, said pin being Vcammed so that'it will grip the said Wire to force the axial movement,

of said wire forwardly when: the said collar is slidably moved forwardly and will' ride-freely over said wire when the said collar is slidably moved in the opposite direction, spring means for norwire, said pin 'being cammed so that it will grip said wire to force the axial movement of said.

wire forwardly when the said collar is slidably moved forwardly and will ride freely over said Y wire when said collar is slidably moved in the vopposite'direction, and means for intermittently axial direction,- said last named means comprising a collar slidably mounted on said first shaft,

a plunger pin carried. by said collarv and resil Y ientlyfheld in, frlctional engagement with said Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:`

1. In anY apparatus for making beads wherein thermoplastic materialis heated to a plastic condition and brought into contact with a length of wire unrolled from a spool and adapted to be rotated on its longitudinal axisby rotatingthe said spool, so as to draw off a sufficient quantity of material to form a. bead--the combination of a frame, a first hollow shaft supported by said frame, a second hollow shaft supported by said frame and in axial alignment with said first hollow shaft, said length of wire passing through said first and second hollow shafts, means for rotating said first shaft with said spool, a coupiing causing simultaneous rotation of said first and second shafts, said coupling additionally permitting relative axial movement between Said first and second shafts. Y f

' 2. An apparatus for making beads according to claim 1-inv which wire vgripping means are carried lby said second shaft to facilitate axial rotation of said wire, said wire gripping means being rendered effective and ineffective Vby the said relative axial'movement between said first and second shafts.

3. An' apparatus for making beads according to claim Y1 in which wire gripping means are carried by said second shaft to facilitate axial rotation of said wire, said wire gripping means lever rotatably mounted on said frame, a third being rendered effective and ineffective by the said relative axial movement between said first and second shafts, and a lever mounted on said 'l'tation of said wire, saidY wire gripping' meanf's,

frame, said lever being adapted to oscillate to cause intermittent relative axial movement between the said first and-second shafts.

Tl. An apparatus for making beads according.

to claim l'in which wire gripping-'means arevcarried by said second shaft to'facilitateaxial roy I being rendered effective and ineiective by the said relative axial movement between said first and second shafts, and in which means are employed for intermittently advancing said length of Wire in an axial direction, said last named means comprising a collar slidably mounted on said rst shaft, a plunger pin carried by said co1- lar and resliently held in frictional engagement with said wire, said pin being cammed so that it will grip the said wire to force it to move axially forwardly when the said collar is slidably moved forwardly and will ride freely on said wire when the said collar is slidably moved inthe opposite direction, means for causing the said forward sliding movement of said collar, said last named means comprising a lever rotatably mounted on' said frame, a third shaft supported lby said frame, a cam on said third shaft for rotation therewith, one end of said lever being associated with said collar, the other endof said lever being cooperatively connected to said cam whereby rotation of said third shaft will cause oscillatory movement of said lever to intermittently slide said collar forwardly, and in which means are employed for causing the said relative axial movement of said first and second shafts, said last named means comprising a second lever rotatably mounted on said frame. a second cam on said third shaft for rotation therewith, one end of said second lever being associated with said coupling, the other end of said second lever being cooperatively connected to said second cam to cause intermittent operation of said coupling, the oscillatory movement of said levers being synchronized so that the said gripping means will be rendered ineffective during the time that the said wire is being axially forwardly advanced.

` PETER SYNEK. 

